Alongside what Orleans Parish District Attorney Leon Cannizzaro called an “impressive collection of law enforcement officials,” city leaders announced the most sweeping gang indictment in New Orleans history Thursday at a news conference.

Officials with the FBI, NOPD, ATF, DEA, U.S. Marshals and many others gathered at the District Attorney’s Office to announce a sweeping 51-count racketeering indictment against 15 people connected with “terrorizing the citizens of New Orleans.”

The indictment listed four other killings as “overt acts” in furtherance of the gang’s criminal enterprise.

Officials said the investigation of the 110’ers gang, which Cannizzaro said appeared to be an umbrella organization of several smaller gangs, began late in the summer of 2012.

The investigation grew out of other investigations of several isolated incidents of violent crime in the 10th and 11th wards. In November, the formation of the Multi-Agency Gang Unit was formed and helped in furthering the investigation.

“The people of New Orleans are witnessing a rebirth of their criminal justice system. The level of cooperation between law enforcement agencies – local, state and federal – is unprecedented,” Cannizzaro said at the news conference.

Investigators arrested three suspects early Thursday -- Sandifer, Johnson and Lewis -- but two of the 15 defendants -- Jones and Pittman -- remained at large.

Jones surrendered Friday night with her attorney by her side.

One of the defendants, Tyron Harden, was arrested last month on charges stemming from Allen's and Pierce's killing.

New Orleans Police Department Superintendent Ronal Serpas said the indictments were proof of the “unwavering attention and dedication” his homicide detectives and gang unit members have put into making the city safer.

“Together, this team collected the evidence necessary to arrest these gang members, who now face the potential of spending decades in prison. This is a signal to other gangs in New Orleans: If you keep up the violence, we will put you away,” Serpas said.

This indictment was the second high-profile indictment stemming from the work of the Multi-Agency Gang Unit. Earlier this year, the U.S. attorney’s office obtained a federal indictment against five defendants in a case investigated by the MAG Unit.

“Our message in this group violence reduction effort is simple -- our community is demanding that the violence stop,” Mayor Mitch Landrieu said. “The cooperation of federal, state and local law enforcement in this Gang Unit is going to improve our ability to hold these gangs and groups accountable. The rules have changed.”

The Multi-Agency Gang Unit is the central bureau tasked with gathering evidence against violent gangs and all of their members that leads to the prosecution and conviction of entire violent gangs in either state or federal court on criminal conspiracy, street gang, or racketeering charges. Various agencies are part of the MAG unit, including investigators from local, state and federal agencies.

The city said via a news release sent immediately following the news conference that the citizens of New Orleans “deserve to live in peace and should not have to worry about falling prey to street gangs like the 110’ers. Today’s enforcement efforts send an undeniable message to area-street gangs that their criminal activities are not welcomed here. “

“While these cases are clearly more difficult to prosecute, I believe that they allow the jurors of this community to see a more complete picture of the scope of a defendant’s criminal conduct. My office will continue to employ innovative prosecutorial techniques to fight the violence on our streets, and I will expect every branch of our criminal justice system to work hard to move these cases towards resolution,” Cannizzaro said.

Coaches were more vocal and aggressive with players as training camp pushes ahead full steam. Players clashed with one another in several hard hits and tackles, indicating that ferocity was the name of the game.